Dorm DIY's - Create Your Dream Dorm Room

Decorating your dorm room can be difficult and expensive. After paying for books, tuition, and food, you may not have the money to create your dream dorm room. Want to save big and deck out your dorm with cute decor items? Look no further, here are 5 super cute dorm room DIY projects to spruce up your space.

Vintage Suitcase Nightstand

Go back in time with a DIY vintage suitcase nightstand. It will add class and a bit of nostalgia to your room. Plop it on top of a nightstand with antique legs, or stack a few on top of each other for added storage.

Shoebox Charging Station

Sick of tangled, un-organized cords? Create your own DIY shoebox charging station to organize your cell phone and laptop chargers. Pick out or even decorate a shoebox to your liking. Hide your power strip inside the box and punch holes in the side of the box to thread your power cords through. Label each outlet on the outside with decorative tags or lettering.

Jewelry Holder

Create a shadow box jewelry holder to organize all of your precious jewelry. Add a cute design to the background as well as vintage hooks and you have yourself a beautiful DIY piece for your dorm. (There are tons of DIY jewelry ideas on Pinterest for inspiration!)

Tape Frames

Decorate your wall with some adorable and creative tape picture frames. This is an inexpensive and unique way to frame your photos or add designs to your walls. It also allows for you to get creative and personalize your wall without causing damage that can lose you big bucks off your damage deposit.

Flower Power

Strings of lights are a great way to make your dorm stand out from the rest. For a simple, creative solution, all that is needed are some Christmas lights and cupcake papers. (View the full tutorial here.)

So DIY your dorm with a few of these super cute ideas. You will create your dream dorm and save money doing so! If you are needing supplies to complete these projects, make sure to stop into ThriftWorks! We have all that you are looking for!

Creative Ways to Repurpose Picture Frames

Repurposed picture frames can make for some pretty awesome DIY items and projects. Frames come in different shapes, sizes, and colors to mix and match any potential idea. Many vintage frames have unique textures and carvings on them, which make great decorative pieces that cannot be replicated in any store or found in someone else's decor, making them perfect for a one-of-a-kind piece. Here are 4 creative and inspiring ways you can repurpose a thrifted picture frame!

Frame & Wire Reminder Board

Try this awesome DIY frame and wire reminder board. It is great for hanging inspirational sayings, photos or Post-it reminders on. All you will need is some old picture frames, clothespins, thumbtacks, and wire! You can use individual strands of wire threaded in a pattern (shown in the image) or attach chicken wire to the back of the frame. View the full tutorial here.

Outdoor Decoration

Frames make great outdoor decorative pieces too. Check out this cool tutorial from Better Homes and Gardens about creating a living succulent picture. You can also choose to hang empty frames in trees in your yard; paint them decorative colors or hang around bird feeders for added flair to your yard!

Pincushions

These DIY pincushions are adorable, and would make an awesome addition to your sewing kit! They are easy to make: all you need is a frame, some batting, and a piece of cloth. Keep them in your kit for easy accessibility, or hang them on the wall near your crafting table.

Chalkboard Serving Tray

This serving tray made out of a picture frame from My So Called Green Life would make a great addition to any kitchen. It has a clean, classic look to it, and you can write the name of the dish (or any personalized message) near the food on the board! This would be a great gift for a family member or addition to a surprise breakfast in bed.

As you can see, there are lots of cool things you can do with picture frames, so give some of these tutorials a try! Stop into ThriftWorks! and pick up some vintage picture frames. We have a large selection to choose from that is constantly changing!

Upcycle Your Wedding to Downsize Your Expenses

For many people, the prospect of getting married is thrilling and adventurous. Spending the rest of your life with the person of your dreams should be a fulfilling occasion. All too often, however, it is also a rather expensive occasion and more and more people have looked to DIY ideas to inspire their wedding decor. Check out a few of our ideas for DIY wedding bliss:

Silverware:

Silverware has become a trend among DIYers; It can be used in a wedding to make a variety of different decorations, including napkin rings or placecard holders, that are sure to be a hit at your wedding. See our silverware upcycle blog for more inspiration

Glassware:

Upcycled glassware is a great way to decorate your wedding on a budget. Try your creativity by assembling different styles and heights of clear glassware, or shades that match your theme. (Hint: with a sharpie and a few minutes in the oven, you can also  personalize your own glassware.) Can’t find the perfect color? You can always paint them to match, add glitter or ribbons, and add candles and other decorations to the mix. Try turning a wine glass or goblet upside down, placing a candle and the top, and a flower under the glass for a unique look.

Mason Jars:

While technically glassware, mason jars have decorating power of their own. There are endless possibilities to decorate with these trendy vessels. Try adding candles, painting a portion of them to match your theme, or adding ribbon or burlap for a rustic feel.  Our favorite mason jar decor idea is adding a flower, filling them with water, and topping off the jar with a floating candle. Have a summer theme? Try adding parts of fishing nets, twine and seashells, sand or rocks to your mason jars for a beautiful centerpiece.

Picture frames:

Empty picture frames make a great backdrop or photo booth on a budget. Instead of looking for a matching set, look for textures and appropriate sizes, and spray paint them to match your wedding theme. You can also build a display of engagement photos with different frames around the cake, or your card box. Having an outdoor wedding? Hang painted frames from trees and add flowers or other decorations in them for a unique look.

Books:

No, they’re not for your guests to read when they get bored, they’re decorative! Strategically folding book pages allows you to make a beautiful decoration that is sure to be memorable. From an elaborate sculpture, to just a simple letter or word, there are many possibilities to decorate with used books. One idea is to make your wedding table numbers from hardcover books.

There are plenty of possibilities for decor in a thrift store. You don’t have to bank on finding a special piece, like an antique bird cage to use for your wedding, just find some inspiration and have your wedding become upcycled and low-budget!

Silverware: It's Not Just for Mealtime

When you think of silverware, you traditionally see it as a tool used to cut, lift, sip and eat your food. Well, think again! As it turns out silverware has many other uses. You can make jewelry, towel holders, yard ornaments and more! Silverware makes for a great crafting project because of its stability and bendability. Here are some fantastic ways on how to turn your old silverware into a awe-inspiring piece of artwork:

Silverware Stamping

Did you know that you could stamp silverware? Stamping silverware is a really great way to engrave little sayings into vintage spoons. When finished stamping, the spoons can be bended and made into custom key chains- just be sure you chose real silver, because stainless steel cutlery is too hard and will not give way to the letter stamps.

Custom Jewelry

Remember back in grade school, when you got to make your own custom jewelry out of plastic beads and rope? With a few cutlery materials, (and perhaps the help of Pinterest) take custom jewelry making to a whole other level. Rings, bangles and other silverware inspired jewelry look cute hanging in the shop window, but why pay inflated prices when you can make your own?

Wind Chimes

Another popular cutlery craft is wind chimes. This craft has nearly endless variations; you can add beading, use an old tea pot or other silver object to hang the silverware from, engrave the silverware before hanging them, or bend and shape your silverware before hanging them- let your imagination run free!

There are many, many more DIY creation options (like a vintage spoon ring) for you to try out.  Be sure to stop into ThriftWorks! and we will help you find the perfect materials for your next DIY adventure.